1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multi-function imaging apparatus that has one or more imaging functions and to a remote management system for this imaging apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-function imaging apparatus that is capable of managing the activation conditions and termination conditions of each application set up by a remote management apparatus and of accurately controlling the termination of each application.
2. Description of the Related Art
A so-called multi-function imaging machine, which is an all-in-one imaging apparatus that offers a variety of imaging services such as printing, copying, facsimile, and scanning to a user, has application programs corresponding to each of the offered functions. In the multi-function imaging machine, an algorithm in common with all the application programs is inserted between the application programs and hardware resources. Such an algorithm is implemented as an OS (operating system) or a common system service. By allowing the application programs to co-use the algorithm, the development efficiency of the applications can be improved.
The multi-function imaging apparatus can be stationed at various locations, such as an office, a library, a convenience store, a medical institution, or an academic institution, and is used for photocopying, sending and receiving facsimile, printing output data, etc.
In the above imaging apparatus, a charging service may be provided for the use of the imaging services. If the imaging apparatus is for individual use, the user will usually have to insert a coin or a pre-paid card. On the other hand, the multi-function imaging apparatus may be used under a contract that sets forth specific usage conditions. The usage conditions may be, for example, 300 pages per day for the printer service, 30 copy jobs per day for the copier service, etc. Other usage conditions such as available time, the number of times an application is activated, or the total number of pages can also be conceived. These usage conditions do not necessarily have to be fixed. Also, there is a need for the imaging apparatus to properly terminate a particular application program if this application program no longer satisfies the prescribed usage conditions.
Under such circumstances, a system that is capable of comprehensively grasping the usage conditions of each of the applications installed in the multi-function imaging apparatus stationed at various locations, and controlling the activation conditions and the termination conditions of the application programs at a remote area is desired.
One known technique for controlling the activation of a program at a remote area is MMC (Microsoft Management Console) for Windows NT and subsequent versions provided by Microsoft Co., Ltd. This management console controls the activation and termination of application services at a remote computer.
Also, a feature of UNIX (registered trademark), allows remote log-in to activate and terminate an application installed in a remote computer.
However, the above described techniques only allow activation and termination of an application via a communication network, and the terminal apparatus itself cannot automatically terminate an application when the predetermined condition is no longer satisfied. Also, neither of the above technologies is capable of activating or terminating a program when the network connection is cut off.
On the other hand, technologies for automatically terminating a program can be found in shareware, or free (public domain) software. In such free software or shareware, a program is arranged to be prevented from starting up after a predetermined testing period has expired. The application itself determines whether or not the testing period has expired every time the application is activated. If it is determined upon its activation that the testing period has expired, the application will not start thereafter. The terminal apparatus in which the above application is installed has nothing to do with the control of the activation ban of this application.
In the above technology, the determination of whether or not the testing period has expired is performed only at the time the application is activated. Thus, once the application is activated, the application cannot be automatically terminated in response to a predetermined condition as a trigger.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a configuration in which conditions for activating and terminating each application, set externally beforehand, can be managed internally by an imaging apparatus, and the application that ceases to satisfy the prescribed conditions during activation can be terminated at the imaging apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a remote management system that is capable of setting and changing the conditions for the imaging apparatus at a remote location and managing the usage conditions of the imaging apparatus.
To realize the above objects of the present invention, the imaging apparatus takes in the termination conditions set and managed at the remote management apparatus, and terminates a particular application that satisfies its termination condition during activation.
Each of the applications installed in the imaging apparatus may also be activated or terminated by the remote management apparatus.
Also, the termination condition can be changed at the remote management apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus takes in the changed termination condition and terminates an application accordingly.
Specifically, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an imaging apparatus that implements a plurality of different applications related to imaging is provided. This imaging apparatus includes:
a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from an external apparatus;
a table that records an application usage state and a termination condition set by the external apparatus for each of the applications; and
a control unit that determines whether or not any of the applications satisfies the termination condition during activation by referring to the table, and terminates the application that satisfies the termination condition.
In this imaging apparatus, the termination operation for an application can be controlled within the imaging apparatus based on the termination condition set by the external apparatus. Thereby, an application can be properly terminated upon fulfillment of a particular termination condition even when there is a problem in the network connecting the imaging apparatus and the external apparatus.
The communication unit receives first update information for changing the termination condition from the external apparatus and the control unit updates the table based on the first update information.
In this way, the imaging apparatus can easily adjust to changes made in the termination condition and can terminate an application based on the updated termination condition.
The table also records an initial state indicating whether or not each application is to be activated upon power-on of the imaging apparatus, and the control unit activates the applications that need to be activated by referring to the table.
In this way, an application that is rarely used can be prevented from taking up memory resources in the imaging apparatus and user-friendliness of the imaging apparatus can be enhanced.
The communication unit receives second update information for changing an initial state of an application from the external apparatus and the control unit updates the table based on the second update information.
In this way, the imaging apparatus can take in the most recent update to the initial state so that unnecessary applications can be prevented from being activated and the usage efficiency of the memory can be improved.
The control unit includes a system control part that provides an algorithm that is common to the plurality of different applications installed in the imaging apparatus, and an application control part that is inserted between the system control part and the applications. The application control part terminates the corresponding application via the system control part when the termination condition is satisfied.
In this, way, the development of system resources can be accomplished efficiently.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a remote management system that includes an imaging apparatus implementing a plurality of different applications related to imaging, and a remote management apparatus, connected to the imaging apparatus via a network, that manages an operation condition of the imaging apparatus is provided. The remote management apparatus sets a termination condition for terminating each application of the imaging apparatus and sends the set termination condition to the imaging apparatus via the network. The imaging apparatus stores the termination condition received from the remote management apparatus in a storage area in association with the corresponding application, and terminates the application that satisfies the termination condition during activation.
According to this system, the termination condition of the imaging apparatus is managed at the remote management apparatus, but the actual termination of the application is independently controlled at the imaging apparatus.
The imaging apparatus notifies the remote management apparatus of the termination of an application when it terminates the application.
In this way, the remote management apparatus is able to verify that the application satisfying the termination condition has been properly terminated.
The remote management apparatus has an expiration time management unit that manages an expiration time for each application in the imaging apparatus, generates a termination instruction command for the application that has reached the expiration time, and sends the termination instruction command to the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus terminates the application based on the termination instruction command received from the remote management apparatus.
In this way, an expiration time based on a particular contract period and the like is managed at the remote management apparatus, and the imaging apparatus is controlled to properly terminate a particular application when the valid term expires.
Also, the remote management apparatus generates an activation instruction command for activating a particular application upon power-on of the imaging apparatus, and sends this to the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus activates the corresponding application based on the activation instruction command received from the remote management apparatus.
In this way, it is possible to control the activation of a particular application of the imaging apparatus at the remote management apparatus.